New Release Reviews...
Even when you know a movie's going to be bad, someone here at Cabin Fever will take one for the team and watch it anyway, just to make sure it really is as bad as we think it will be. Be sure to check this page out on Tuesdays before you go rent the new ones...also, go here to find out what you may have missed in the months previous to the last entry on this page.
Rating Scale: 1 to 5, 1 being a waste of time and 5 being totally worthwhile
**A note on the rating scale - a good rule of thumb is anything rated 3 or higher, you should probably just see it no matter what the reasoning behind it in the review. Lower than 3, you're on your own! And you've been warned!
click here for UPCOMING VIDEO RELEASES
for the week of Tuesday, June 1
for the week of Tuesday, May 31
for the week of Tuesday, May 24
for the week of Tuesday, May 17
for the week of Tuesday, May 10
for the week of Tuesday, May 3
for the week of Tuesday, April 26
for the week of Tuesday, April 19
for the week of Tuesday, April 12
for the week of Tuesday, April 5
for the week of Tuesday, March 29
for the week of Tuesday, March 22
for the week of Tuesday, March 15
Alfie
Incredibles, The
What The *Bleep* Do We Know?
for the week of Tuesday, March 8
Ladder 49
Whispering Corridors
for the week of Tuesday, March 1
Exorcist, The: The Beginning
Flight Of The Phoenix
Derik: 2 "Action" movie with Dennis Quaid - right there, you've been warned. Not as bad as I expected, but really unnecessarily long with few action sequences to speak of, all adding up to eight people (give or take a few) standing around in the desert for 2+ hours.
for the week of Tuesday, February 22
Around The Bend
I Heart Huckabees
Derik: 4.5 Think of the more outlandish and philosophical aspects of "Eternal Sunshine" meets the dry wit of "Royal Tenenbaums" - this movie is great. Best thing that Mark Wahlberg has done since "Boogie Nights", hands down. So weird in spots and it does get a little bogged down by the existential blathering (for some people's tastes), but what a fun movie.
for the week of Tuesday, February 15
Control
Donnie Darko (Director's Cut)
The Motorcycle Diaries
Raise Your Voice
Saw
Derik: 3.5 This is not a horror movie and I think that's why some people tend to hate this film - false advertising in a way. This is a gory psychological thriller (there is a difference!) and I thought it was pretty well done for a Lion's Gate release. Some plot twists are a bit predictable while others are pretty well hidden and entertaining. The "saw" aspect is bit misleading and ultimately unnecessary, but overall pretty fun.
for the week of Tuesday, February 8
The Notebook
P.S.
for the week of Tuesday, February 1
The Grudge
Derik: 2.5 Taking a Japanese "horror" movie and putting an American actress in it and keeping it quite Japanese, doesn't translate well to an American audience. The elements of dread and the weird meowing ghost-kid are enough to keep you from turning it off, but man this movie could bore you to tears if you let it. No plot resolution (what little there is to follow until the 3rd act), Gellar is somewhat of a waste and I certainly am not looking forward to the inevitable part II.
Mr. 3000
Ray
Derik: 4 Blind guy makes it big in the music biz and acquires a drug problem. So you know everything that happens in this movie, but Jamie Foxx is completely deserving of his Oscar win. By the end of this movie he really has transformed into Ray Charles. Plus, lots of good music and a truly detailed account of Charles' life that never bores you.
Shall We Dance?
She Hate Me
Vanity Fair
for the week of Tuesday, January 25
Alien Vs. Predator
Derik: 2 I, of course, expected the worst from this franchise mash-up. Dropping to a PG-13 (all Alien and Predator films have been R for sci-fi action violence and language) takes a lot of the fun away, and reduces the fights between the two species to a mix of WWE and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Poorly executed, but points are given for at least attempting to make sense of why these guys would meet up at all.
Back By Midnight
First Daughter
Head In The Clouds
Pauly Shore Is Dead
Sky Captain & The World Of Tomorrow
for the week of Tuesday, January 18
Catwoman
Cellular
Derik: 3.5 It certainly suffers from kidnapper/thriller clichés and the premise is a little flawed (why doesn't the guy just give the incoming number to the police and have them trace it? Because that's a short movie!), but I was entertained nonetheless. Not the smartest movie, but it'll get you through a Friday night at home.
The Cookout
Curb Your Enthusiasm: 3rd Season
The Forgotten
Derik: 3 I know I've been watching way too many movies when I spend the first ten minutes guessing the plot and the rest of the movie bored silly because I was right. Some cool effects here and there, especially the car crash, but there's only one alien abduction plotline, right? Right.
Friday Night Lights
for the week of Tuesday, January 11
Paparazzi
Silver City
The Village
Derik: 3.5 The problem with Shyamalan's movies is that they will all be compared to "The Sixth Sense" - not only that, all his movies carry expectations, like it's scary, or there will be some crazy unbelievable twist! What sucks for him is that the average movie-goer doesn't really appreciate him as a filmmaker. I thought this movie was well written, well executed and an overall good experience. He is very effective at what he does - setting mood and keeping you on the edge of the supernatural. Watch this movie with NO expectations and you'll probably like it. Not his best, but still well done.
Without A Paddle
for the week of Tuesday, January 4
Harold And Kumar Go To White Castle (Unrated)
Little Black Book
Riding Giants
Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2
Troy
for the week of Tuesday, December 28
Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy (Extended and Unrated Edition)
Derik: 3.5 Will Ferrell - expectations are high and with his new found audience from Elf (meaning everyone not familiar with SNL, including preteens and younger) I guess there's a need for a dreaded "Unrated" version of this so-slow-at-times-its-painful comedy for Ferrell's original audience to pay attention.. At exactly 1 hour, this movie hits hilarious. Steve Carrell (Brick Tamland - awesome anchor name) single-handedly saves this movie from sheer boredom throughout, and the Anchorman kung-fu roundup, with an unbelievably appropriate cameo-fest (see the "Dodgeball" review for the Vince Vaughn factor) makes it all worth watching. Ferrell needs his own successful starring vehicle and this is a valiant effort, though we all know he can do better. Still funny...
Garden State
Open Water
Derik: 2 This movie gets a 1 at best, but the 2 goes to the marketing geniuses at Lion's Gate because they actually got a lot of people to the theaters to see it and now there's a whole new crowd of suckers lining up for this yawn-fest. Got an unfounded and crippling fear of sharks or the ocean in general? This movie may bore you to tears! Actually it may scare you, I just thought it lacked tension, well-written dialogue and I certainly hated the characters enough to hope they get eaten by sharks sooner rather than later. While you can't blame the actors - I'm sure they did the best they could with the material - watching two yuppies barf, sleep, and float around bitching about their workaday woes is oh-so-riveting in theory, but it just sucks in a 90 minute movie. Thankfully, by the time the boat pulls away, there are only 36 minutes left of suffering (yours, not theirs) to get through. Based on true events? I don't doubt that people have been left at sea, but the rest of it is certainly fiction, and poorly executed at that.
Resident Evil 2: Apocalypse
Derik: 2.5 As video game-to-movie adaptations go, "Resident Evil" was head and shoulders above others (Tomb Raider is case and point). Also, I think it stands alone pretty well as a horror/sci-fi/action movie (zombies, gore, nudity, explosions - what else do you want from this type of movie?) This sequel seems to suffer badly under poor writing, not very faithful to the game, and an apathetic Milla Jovovich. The only point of this movies seems to be to get you to guess how long until part three will hit theaters.
Sex & The City: Season 6, Part 2
Wicker Park
Wimbledon
for the week of Tuesday, December 21
Anacondas: The Hunt For The Blood Orchid
De-Lovely
King Arthur
Manchurian Candidate (2004)
Derik: 3.5 I haven't seen the original with Sinatra, so I can't give this as high a score as I would perhaps like to - the original is held in such high regard both for its message and its execution. Nice to see Denzel playing close to the same character he always does (blahhhhhh), but overall this is a tense thriller that keeps you in, though not necessarily guessing, until the end. They don't make political thrillers this good all the time.
Napoleon Dynamite
Derik: 3.5 While it is entertaining and remarkably (overly) beloved by many, this movie didn't quite live up to my expectations. This is certainly light on plotline or clever wit, and heavy on character exploitation. This guy is the biggest dork ever to walk the face of the earth. Throw in some bizarre family members, the awkward high school almost-romance, other minor characters that just keep this universe that much more strange, and you've got a fun movie. "Quirky" only scratches the surface of how to describe this movie...
Shaun Of The Dead
Derik: 4 The Brits can sometimes be too dry or so juvenile it hurts, but this movie is witty, well written and well executed. A bit dry, true, but I haven't seen a better spoof in some time. It probably helps to have some experience in zombie horror to really get the full enjoyment, but it's silly enough to keep you in even if you haven't since George Romero's trilogy or the new remake of "Dawn Of The Dead". Good, funny stuff.
Surviving Christmas
Derik: 1 This movie could (should?) spell instant career death for all involved. Ben Affleck, Christina Applegate, James Gandolfini, Catherine O'Hara - why did any of these people sign on for this? This is an extremely sub-par romantic comedy centered around Christmas, not a single character is likeable and I will have a hard time in the future watching anything with any of these actors without thinking of this. I can't believe I made it to the end!
Thunderbirds
Two Brothers
for the week of Tuesday, December 14
Collateral
Derik: 4 Tom Cruise in a role as you have never seen him before - if you have anything against the guy and avoid his movies as a result, watch this. Jamie Foxx is solid and I anxiously await "Ray"...While Foxx's character does things you might find unlikely as you get to know him during the course of the movie, the overall package is highly recommended. This movie is the tense thriller we have come to expect from Michael Mann ("Heat" is still his best, but this is up there).
The Door In The Floor
I, Robot
Derik: 3 I have a REALLY hard time swallowing the "Men In Black"/"Bad Boys" Will Smith characters...I get so annoyed by the "comedic" outbursts that I just lose interest altogether - and this makes it very hard for me to enjoy almost any movie he does. While, once again, this sci-fi/action movie hinges on CG effects and Big Willy's abrasive wit, it's the detective mystery/thriller that emerges that really made me like this movie. Smith's performance does still deteriorate in spots to what we are always subjected to in his movies, but for some inexplicable reason, I found this movie pretty watchable - it is undoubtedly due to Proyas' direction, so see his best stuff ("Dark City" and "The Crow") instead of this, if you haven't already.
The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King **Extended Edition
Mary Poppins (40th Anniversary)
The Princess Diaries 2: A Royal Engagement
for the week of Tuesday, December 7
24: The Complete 3rd Season
Blue Collar Comedy Tour Rides Again
Derik: 3.5 This would easily get a 4 were it not for the repeated bits from the guys' solo DVD's. Still, this is great "country boy" standup. Even my two least favorites are solid performers this time around - what helps this one is that they're all headliners. Best moment: Larry telling an affectionate and vocal fan from the audience "I thought I told you to wait in the truck."
The Bourne Supremacy
Derik: 4 Sequel disease could have made this a boring rehash of "The Bourne Identity" but thankfully this will become a welcome franchise in the over-crowded and mostly hokey spy-thriller genre. Damon makes you like Bourne as an average Joe (who just happens to know ten different ways to kill you via an insane survival instinct). This is much more entertaining than watching a suave and sophisticated "gentleman" like Bond...while a 3rd installment seems inevitable (and welcome), it really seems like he might not make it to the end of this movie! Great ride.
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
Derik: 4 Vince Vaughn is rapidly becoming the guy who can't miss and Ben Stiller is back on a winning streak with "Starsky & Hutch" and now this - the combo of these two guys is great, funny throughout, and thoroughly silly. Quite goofy, at times - so be warned for people who like they're comedy to be cerebral rather than physical.
Maria, Full Of Grace
Derik: 4 Spanish, Subtitled in English. This movie is great at building tension and making you feel like you're on that plane, waiting for a packet of drugs to explode in someone's body. While some of her decisions are questionable, Maria makes you believe that she's going to make it in the world somehow...Best foreign flick I've seen in a while.
Species III (Unrated)
Wild At Heart (LONG out-of-print David Lynch film!)
for the week of Tuesday, November 30:
Bobby Jones - Stroke Of Genius
Hero
Derik: 3.5 The fantasy elements in the martial arts sequences are always a bit tough to take - even parts of "Crouching Tiger" felt this way, but the dazzling cinematography and visual splendor of " Hero" keep you in the movie and the plotline moves well, albeit somewhat predictably. I thought this was a good movie-going experience, even if it's not a movie that would be received well by your average movie-goer. Get some culture and give it a chance... .
Spider Man 2
Derik: 4.5 This is so good for so many reasons...As a comic book fan, movie adaptations don't get any better than this, not to mention a movie sequel that surpasses the original. This movie would EASILY get a 5 from me were it not for the never-ending, incessantly cyclical and irritating love story of MJ and Peter. More (and cooler!) action than the first film, no hokey villain to eat up all that screen time that should be used to show Spidey web-slinging all over NYC, (the Green Goblin mask from the first movie could be one of the worst costume designs ever to make it to film) and a plotline that flows and excites even with the flawed presentation of the love story. The Spidey 3 set-up is telegraphed in by the end - we all just need to hope that Sam Raimi continues to direct - remember the Batman franchise? Personnel changes for sequels are almost always bad.
for the week of Tuesday, November 23:
Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban
Sleepover
The Terminal
Derik: 3.5 The hardest thing about this movie is getting over Hanks with a Russian accent, but he's almost a legend in his own time and you find ways to forget and accept...Spielberg is still a director with (thankfully) "entertainment" at the forefront of his finished product (no matter how far-fetched the plot) and Hanks is always in top form. This movie has less to do with "foreign guy meets girl" and more to do with "foreign guy makes a life for himself in an airport", which is entirely more interesting. Luckily, the impending romantic comedy side to this movie is not quite as prominent as expected and "The Terminal" becomes an enjoyable and entertaining, if flawed, 2 hours.
Unstoppable
for the week of Tuesday, November 16:
The Chronicles Of Riddick
Elf
Derik: 4 This is the quality, instant Christmas classic that parents have had to wait a long time for - sure it deteriorates by the end into some sappy message of holiday drivel, but that's part of its charm - and the movie as a whole is just perfect for a holiday movie. Ferrell is truly great (as we expect him to be), and it's nice to see Bob Newhart and Ed Asner doing SOMETHING, much less something as funny and well executed as this movie. Cameron really discovered Santa through this movie and we've since moved on to the "Original Television Christmas Classics" including Rudolph and Frosty. I have a whole new appreciation of the holidays because of my 2 year old... Even if you're not a parent yet, you can certainly find this movie entertaining on some level.
for the week of Tuesday, November 9:
Before Sunset
The Clearing
The Stepford Wives (2004)
Derik: 3.5 After hearing numerous negative reviews on this "remake" (including people turning it off 20 minutes in, or simply walking out of the room where it's playing) I've decided to defend it; in order to truly enjoy this movie, you have to see the original. The original is a very effective (and thoroughly enjoyable!) psychological/social satire horror film from 1979. This remake is essentially a spoof of the original, thus it's no longer social satire nor horror...this is a sci-fi comedy with big stars that create big expectations. By knowing the original, you can see who plays these characters now, and that's almost ALL of the fun right there...by not having the base knowledge of the original, you are in for a 1.5 to 2.5 kind of experience.
for the week of Tuesday, November 2:
Around The World In 80 Days
Renegade
Shrek 2 (Friday, Nov. 5 release)
Derik: 4 I've been hearing that this is better than the first (true or not, you almost always hear this about sequels as they are pushed by their respective studios) and I have to say it is not. The first is a true classic, hilarious from start to finish, for kids and adults. Shrek 2 drags until the introduction of Puss N' Boots, and only then do you get virtual non-stop hilarity. The voice talent of John Cleese is somewhat wasted, but overall this movie is head and shoulders above most any Disney animated film of the last 10 years (Pixar films excluded, of course!) - you should certainly own this if you have children, and definitely rent it whether you do or not - no matter what your age.
for the week of Tuesday, October 26:
Control Room
Dawn Of The Dead (2004)
Derik: 4 A true rarity: Unrated and doesn't suck! As horror movies go, and remakes at that, this movie is in a league of its own. This director (whom I've never heard of before this film) is so meticulous about the material; he's not only faithful to the original, he's crafted his own style where his vision is fully realized within the context of what you might already expect from a movie with this title. Forget the analysis: this movie is gory, creepy and straight up scary at times. There couldn't be a better video release for Halloween. AND - he retires the age old question of "Why do Zombies move so slowly and these idiots still get caught and eaten?" - answer: YOU better start running cause you never knew zombies wanted brains THAT badly...
Julius Caesar (2004)
Mulan: Special Edition
White Chicks
for the week of Tuesday, October 19:
A Cinderella Story
Garfield: The Movie
Helter Skelter (2004)
I'm Not Scared
Van Helsing
Derik: 3 This movie has been (obviously) over-hyped from the moment it was conceived; that said, I went in with VERY low expectations. Flaws include hokey accents, an exceedingly long and drawn-out plotline, and an ending battle that is nearly identical to the other Beckinsale flick with werewolves and vampires, "Underworld". Oh, and the fate of Beckinsale's character is just plain stupid. Special effects and the pace of action are the only things keeping you along for the ride and really the only reasons you're watching this movie anyway. Effects are superb for the most part, monsters look convincing and fun (Frankenstein is one of the more interesting and seemingly accurate depictions ever put to screen). As far as action flicks go, this is head and shoulders above most of the recent Hollywood big-budget crap available.
for the week of Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Breakin' All The Rules
The Day After Tomorrow
Derik: 2 After reading so many 1 star reviews everywhere from Rolling Stone to People to Entertainment Weekly, I certainly expected this movie to suck beyond sucking. That said, you get what you expect. Most people expect this to be some sort of an action movie, but there are really only three sequences that would qualify, and two of them are quite brief. This is your run-of-the-mill big budget weather disaster movie that you are better off not paying for (read: wait for it to hit USA network after you've stolen cable). It gets a 2 for special effects, no matter how unrealistic.
Japon
Monster Man
Derik: 1 I didn't even pre-book this title because it's so blatantly obvious that it will suck. They put it on our poster, I had to order it, I watched it, it sucked, the end.
Raising Helen
Stateside